Defamation in the UAE is different to most European jurisdictions in that defamation is a criminal act rather than a civil matter.

Raising a defamation case in the UAE is easy to do (actually, it’s much easier to do here than in other Gulf states, including Saudi Arabia) and there’s no distinction between public forums and being online.

All social media channels are considered to be public forums, regardless of where those forums are hosted. Social media channels are considered to be prominent public forums and even people who post anonymously can be prosecuted.

Probably, the best piece of advice is to play it safe, especially if you’re not sure whether your comments could be construed as defamation or not. And if you’re still unsure, remember that the penalty for being convicted of defamation can be up to two years in prison and a fine of as much as AED20, 000 ($5,444). So, post in haste, repent at leisure.

A British national with Arabic roots, Alex has spent ten years in the Gulf and has lived in Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Lebanon, Jordan, Syria and the United Arab Emirates. Alex lost his heart to journalism years ago, but he has worked with a range of multinational companies in the technology, energy and financial sector to develop marketing and communications approach to the region. He’s currently based in Dubai, but can often be found at Dubai International Airport flying back home to Bahrain or some other destination.